Lewes

Lewes' population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and health.

The population reached nearly 98,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Lewes increased by 5.8%, from just under 92,200 to 97,500.

The addition of about 5,300 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Lewes was home to, on average, 2.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Lewes

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Lewes increased by two years, from 43 to 45 years.

This coastal area had a higher average age than the South East and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 14% of people in Lewes are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Lewes saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.2%) households in Lewes had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.8% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 26%.

Across the region, Wealden saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 8.2% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2011).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Lewes saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) people aged 16 and over in Lewes said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 55% to 50%.

Across the region, only Rother (from 10% to 13%) and Folkestone and Hythe (from 12% to 14%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

During this period, Lewes went from having the 23rd-highest to the 16th-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Lewes

The percentage of Lewes residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 88% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.8% in 2001. The percentage of Lewes residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.8% to 8.2%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 91% in 2001 to 90% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Lewes

The number of people in Lewes that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 17,000 in 2001 to about 32,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 18% to 32% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Lewes that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 66,000 in 2001 to just under 56,000 in 2011 (from 72% to 57%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 7,600 to about 8,000. Both of these figures represented about 8.2% of the total population at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses.

About 600 people (0.4%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 370 in 2001 (0.6%).

The population without a religion in Lewes increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Lewes that rented privately increased from 8.6% to 14% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 11%, while the percentage of Lewes households that owned their home decreased from 78% to 73%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Lewes increased by 5.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lewes, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Lewes residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.5% to 5.4% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68% in 2001. The percentage of Lewes residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Lewes decreased by 3.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Lewes, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Lewes working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14% to 10% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Lewes decreased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Lewes, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Lewes, which comprised a single parent, increased from 7.2% to 9.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in three (33%) households had a married couple, compared with 36% in 2001. The percentage of households in Lewes, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.7% to 9.5%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.0% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Lewes increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Lewes, the South East and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Lewes

The number of people in Lewes from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 90,000 in 2001 to about 94,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 98% to 97%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Lewes from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 810 in 2001 to about 1,400 in 2011 (from 0.9% to 1.4%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 670 to about 1,300 (from 0.7% to 1.3%).

About 420 people (0.2%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 200 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Lewes decreased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Lewes residents that were unemployed increased from 2.3% to 3.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 50%, while the percentage of Lewes residents that were self-employed increased from 12% to 14%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Lewes increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Lewes, the South East and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Lewes residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Lewes remained close to 2.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Lewes by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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